1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a rebound stopper of a strut assembly for a suspension in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a rebound stopper of a strut assembly for a suspension in a vehicle which can reduce the noise and vibrations applied from the tires to the car body, thereby improving the NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) performance of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, a strut assembly of a suspension provided in a vehicle, which functions to reduce the shocks and vibrations applied from a road to a car body and realizes a comfortable feeling when riding the vehicle, includes a strut 1, which connects a wheel knuckle to the car body, and a coil spring 7, which surrounds the strut 1 and is supported at opposite ends both by a lower spring seat 3 and by an upper spring seat 5 mounted to the strut 1.
Further, a range spanning between the lower spring seat 3 and the upper spring seat 5 of the strut 1 is covered with a dust cover 9. The strut assembly further includes a bump stopper 11, a bearing 13 and an insulator 15, which are fitted over the strut 1 at a location inside the upper end of the dust cover 9, at a location on the upper spring seat 5, and at a location on the bearing 13, respectively.
The insulator 15 is held on the strut 1 by a lower nut 17. The upper end of the strut 1, which has the insulator 15, passes into the car body 19, with a rebound stopper 30 being assembled with the upper end of the strut 1 inside the car body 19 and being tightened by an upper nut 21.
Here, when the upper end of the strut 1 is mounted to the car body 19 after passing into the car body 19, the insulator 15 comes into contact with an outer surface of the car body 19.
Further, the rebound stopper 30 includes a steel plate 31 which is fitted over the strut 1 at a location between the lower nut 17 and the upper nut 21, and a rubber plate 33 fitted around the outer circumferential edge of the steel plate 31. When the strut assembly rebounds, the steel plate 31 helps maintain the strength of the rebound stopper 30 and the rubber plate 33 prevents the steel plate 31 from coming into direct contact with the car body 19 and functions as a cushion.
The strut assembly having the above-mentioned construction reduces a load from a tire using both the strut 1 and the coil spring 7. When a low load is applied from the tire, the strut assembly can absorb shocks and vibrations almost completely, thus efficiently intercepting the load which may be transmitted to the car body 19. However, when a high load is applied from the tire, the strut assembly cannot completely absorb shocks and vibrations so that remaining shocks and vibrations may be transmitted to the car body 19, thereby generating noise and vibrations in the car body 19.
When the rebound stopper 30 functions as a damper capable of absorbing the shocks and vibrations, the strut assembly can more efficiently reduce the shocks and vibrations transmitted to the car body 19. However, in the conventional strut assembly, the rebound stopper 30 includes the steel plate 31 for helping maintain the strength of the rebound stopper 30 and the rubber plate 33 for functioning as a cushion, so that the rebound stopper 30 may fail to function as a damper.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.